Package Management System with Accelerated Delivery

ABSTRACT

The disclosure provides a system for delivering packages by a delivery person in a location with multiple recipients comprising a plurality of lockers, each locker having an interior space, a door, a locker identifier, and a locking portion associated with each door. A central control unit comprises a first input device configured to allow the delivery person to designate the number of lockers to be opened, a second input device adapted to read the package identifier and a locker identifier, and a controller configured to deactivate the locking portions on the designated lockers. Upon delivery, the controller deactivates the number of locking portions equal to the number of designated lockers, and at a location remote from the central control unit, the second input device reads a package and a locker identifier for a designated locker and transmits the package and locker information to the central control unit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a system and method for managingpackages and other items that provides efficiencies for an authorizeduser of the system.

BACKGROUND

Consumers have fully embraced online shopping and are spendingincreasing amounts with online retailers. Some online retailers haveused increasing economies of scale to help reduce the costs of shippingpurchases to the consumer. Other online retailers have optimized theirlogistics to reduce the time between an order being placed by a consumerand the delivery of the order to the consumer. Traditionalbrick-and-mortar retailers have also embraced this shift in consumerdemand and introduced online storefronts, along with incentivesencouraging consumers to make purchases online. Accordingly, anincreasing number of packages are being shipped to consumers and aresident is receiving multiple packages in a single day.

Many of the consumers embracing online shopping reside in multiplehousehold properties. These can include student housing, apartmentcomplexes, and condominiums. These residents are often times notavailable during the day when packages are delivered. In some multiplehousehold properties, the shipper simply places the package in adesignated location that can optionally be secured. This presents thepossibility of the packages being stolen before the resident canretrieve the package. Although some multiple household properties have afront desk or reception area that is staffed, receiving shipments onbehalf of the residents distracts the staff from their other duties. Insome multiple resident housing environments, such as student housing, itmay be desirable for employees of the residence hall to place packagesin the lockers rather than have a carrier spend the time making thedeposit in a locker. Thus, as used herein, the term delivery person orsystem provider may also include employees of the residence hall orapartment building.

Shippers and multiple household properties have initially developedsolutions that allow for a shipper to securely deposit a package orother item for a resident. The resident can then, at a later time,retrieve the package using an identifier. Such a solution helps reducelosses for the shipper, helps reduce the workload on the staff at theproperty, and provides an amenity for residents who will know theirpackages are secure even when they are not at their residence to receivethe packages. However, the current solutions are often cumbersome anddifficult to use by the delivery person especially when he has manypackages or multiple packages for a single resident, requiring him orher to spend extra time in the delivery process.

The system described here helps address these and other problems andprovides an efficient means for delivering items by a service provideror delivery person and a secure means of receiving items on behalf ofthe system's users.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

One aspect of the disclosure is a system that provides the system'susers the ability to securely receive items. The system provides asecure location for multiple items to be efficiently deposited by aservice provider to residents or recipients at a location when packagesare being delivered by a shipper or service provider. The system'srecipients can retrieve the items from the system later. The items aresecurely stored after being deposited because only authorizedindividuals have access to the items after a service provider hasdeposited the items.

Another aspect of the disclosure provides a system for deliveringpackages in a location with multiple residents or recipients by adelivery person, with each package having a package identifier thatincludes recipient information, comprising a plurality of lockers, eachlocker having an interior space and a door that when opened allowsaccess to the interior space and a locker identifier, a locking portionassociated with each door for allowing the door to open when in theunlocked state and remain closed when in the locked state, a centralcontrol unit comprising an authentication portion adapted to verify thestatus of the delivery person, a first input device configured to allowthe delivery person to designate the number of lockers to be opened, asecond input device adapted to read the package identifier and acontroller configured to deactivate the locking portions on thedesignated lockers and an output device to provide notice to arecipient, wherein upon authentication of the delivery person andidentification of the number of designated lockers by the deliveryperson, the controller deactivates the number of locking portions equalto the number of designated lockers, and wherein, at a location remotefrom the central control unit, the second input device reads the packageidentifier of a package and a locker identifier for a designated locker,and the delivery person places the read package in the interior space ofthe read locker and closes the associated door, and the output devicenotifies the recipient of the receipt of a package.

In another aspect of the disclosure, two or more packages can be placedin the same locker if they are addressed to one recipient. In thisaspect, that recipient is notified that they have received more than onepackage.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the second input device is ahandheld bar code reader, which may be the hand held reader generallycarried by the delivery person.

In another aspect of the disclosure, the system provides for deliveringpackages in a location with multiple recipients by a delivery person,with each package having a package identifier that includes recipientinformation, comprising, a plurality of lockers, each locker having aninterior space and a door that when opened allows access to the interiorspace, a locking portion associated with each door for allowing the doorto open when in the unlocked state and remain closed when in the lockedstate and adapted to receive instruction from the central control unitto change from the locked state to the unlocked state and sendinformation to the central control unit when the door is manually closedand the lock is changed to the locked state, a central control unitcomprising an authentication portion adapted to verify the status of thedelivery person, a first input device configured to allow the deliveryperson to designate the number of lockers to be opened, a second inputdevice adapted to read the package identifier, a controller configuredto deactivate the locking portions on the designated lockers, and anoutput device to provide notification to a recipient, wherein uponauthentication of the delivery person and identification of the numberof designated lockers by the delivery person, the controller deactivatesthe number of locking portions equal to the number of designatedlockers, and wherein, the delivery person reads the package and placesthe read package in the interior space of one designated locker andcloses the associated door, and wherein the central control unitassociates the package, locker and recipient and the output devicenotifies the recipient of the delivery of a package.

Further and alternative aspects and features of the disclosed principleswill be appreciated from the following detailed description and theaccompanying drawings. As will be appreciated, the principles disclosedherein are capable of being carried out in other and differentembodiments, and capable of being modified in various respects.Accordingly, it is to be understood that both the foregoing generaldescription and the following detailed description are exemplary andexplanatory only and do not restrict the scope of the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an installed embodiment of the package managementsystem.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the central control unit, storagelocker module, and a variety of storage lockers.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a storage locker module with onelocker having a package inside, a hinged door and a locking portion.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example of the central control unit with a controlmodule.

FIG. 5 illustrates a central control unit connected to the Internet, acentral server and a property management company.

FIG. 6 illustrates steps for using one embodiment of the packagemanagement system.

FIG. 7 illustrates steps for when a delivery person deposits a packagewith one embodiment of the package management system.

FIG. 8 illustrates steps for when a delivery person deposits a packagewith another embodiment of the package management system.

FIG. 98 illustrates steps for notifying the resident that a package hasbeen deposited with one embodiment of the package management system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to specific embodiments orfeatures, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numberswill be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same orcorresponding parts. Moreover, references to various elements describedherein, are made collectively or individually when there may be morethan one element of the same type. However, such references are merelyexemplary in nature. It may be noted that any reference to elements inthe singular may also be construed to relate to the plural andvice-versa without limiting the scope of the disclosure to the exactnumber or type of such elements unless set forth explicitly in theappended claims. The terms configured and configuration may be usedherein to refer to a specified arrangement, or a structural size andshape.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the system 100 that allows for thesystem's user to securely receive items. Although the system 100 isdescribed as a package management system in this specification, those ofordinary skill will recognize the benefits that will arise fromemploying this system in other areas beyond packages for residents. Forexample, tenants of coworking spaces can also benefit from this system.Further, the items need not be packages deposited by a shipper and caninclude other items such as clothing that has been dry-cleaned, noticesfrom property management, and food from food delivery services.

The system includes a central control unit 110 and a plurality ofstorage lockers 120. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, theplurality of storage lockers 120 can be arranged in a set of storagelocker modules 130. In one embodiment, a storage locker module 130comprises a plurality of storage lockers 120 stacked vertically.Multiple storage locker modules 130 are arranged with the centralcontrol unit 110 to form the package management system 100. With a largenumber of modules 130 and only one central control unit 110 some of themodules 130 and lockers 120 may be located at a long distance from thecentral control unit 110 making it time consuming for a service provideror delivery person to deliver packages if he has to be in closeproximity to the central control unit 110 for it to read each package.Multiple storage locker modules 130 can have storage lockers 120 ofvarious sizes, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The central control unit110 controls each of the storage lockers 120 of the storage lockermodules 130. The central control unit 110 can also receive informationfrom each of the storage lockers 120. The central control unit 110 candirectly control at least the locking portion for each of the storagelockers 120. Individuals interact with the central control unit 110 ofthe system 100 to, for example, deposit and remove items. In oneembodiment, the central control unit also includes a locker 125 adaptedto store a portable hand held scanning device such as a bar code reader450. The central control unit 110 allows opening of the locker 125 andaccess to the bar code reader only to authorized shippers or deliverypersons. In another embodiment, the hand held scanner may be stored on aholder, preferably in a locked condition that can only be unlocked byqualified users.

Storage Lockers

Each of the storage lockers 120 is dimensioned to have an interiorvolume to be suitable for receiving and storing packages, letters, andother items of various dimensions. FIG. 3 shows a locker 120 having apackage 220 received in its interior space. The package has a packageidentifier or destination indicator 222 on one sidewall. Examples ofpackage identifiers include printed names and addresses of recipients,bar codes and RFID tags. In a preferred embodiment, the packageidentifier includes package recipient information that preferably can beread electronically.

Non-limiting examples of the dimensions of the storage lockers 120include a height of 4.8″, 10.2″, 15.6″, 21″, and 26.4″, a depth of lessthan 24″, and a width of less than 18″. The dimensions of the storagelockers 120 can be derived using industry data regarding package sizemixes. In one embodiment, the locker sizes may be roughly categorized assmall 121, medium 122 and large 123, as shown in FIG. 1. Each storagelocker 120 is made of durable materials such as high gauge steel andincludes at least one door with a locking portion to help securepackages.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the storage locker 120 with a hingeddoor 200 that is attached to the structure of the respective storagelocker 120. In this embodiment, the hinged door 200 opens outward sothat the interior can be accessed and items can be deposited and storedinside the storage locker 120. On the inside wall of the door is alocker identifier 260, such as a locker identification tag or label. Inone embodiment, the label contains a bar code that can be read by thebar code scanner 450. Other readily identifiable identification labelsand tags, such as an RFID tag, or printed locker number are alsocontemplated. The hinged door rotates about a hinge 210 with a hingedaxis. The door hinge 210 can be hardened against forced entry techniquesby unauthorized individuals. The door may have an associated doorposition indicator 212 connected to the central control unit 110 toprovide the central control unit 110 information on the state of thedoor as being open or closed.

Each storage locker 120 can include an individual communicationsconnection and a power connection. These communications and powerconnections are adapted to connect to corresponding connections in thestorage locker modules 130. Each storage locker 120 can further includeprocessing hardware for controlling aspects of the storage locker andfor processing information regarding the storage locker. Someembodiments of the storage lockers 120 can include sealing to isolatethe contents of the storage lockers 120 against external factors. Someembodiments of the storage lockers 120 can be hardened against forcedentry techniques by unauthorized individuals.

Storage Locker Locking Portion

FIG. 3 also illustrates the door 200 for each storage locker 120 issecured by at least one locking portion 250. The locking portion 250secures the door 200 so that the items within the storage locker 120 areonly accessible to authorized individuals. Some non-limiting examples oflocking portions 250 can be latch-based locks, cam based locks,electromagnetic locks, solenoid-based locks, spring based locks,cylinder-type locks, timer-based locks, biometric locks, and other locksknown in the art. In one embodiment, the locking portion is activatedand locks the locker when the door is shut and unlocks the locker andbiases the door open when a command is received from the central controlunit. In another embodiment, the storage locker locking portion 250 isalso configured to latch without locking so that the door 200 can beclosed without changing the locking portion's lock state.

Each locking portion 250 receives commands from the central control unit110. In response to the command transmitted by the central control unit110, the locking portion 250 changes its state. For example, a lockedlocking portion 250 unlocks in response to the command from the centralcontrol unit 110. In one embodiment, when receiving a command from thecentral control unit to change state from the locked condition to theunlocked condition, the locking portion 250 also biases the door openand a door position indictor 210 transmits information to the centralcontrol unit that the door is open.

In some embodiments, the locking portion 250 can remain unlocked untilit receives further commands from the central control unit 110. This isdesirable to prevent premature locking of the storage locker 120. Someembodiments of the storage locker doors include locking portions 250that automatically relock when the door is closed without additionalcommands from the central control unit 110. For example, the lockingportion could be spring biased to the locked condition so that thestorage locker is locked when the door 200 is shut by an individual anda catch on the door interacts with a latch on the locking portion. Thisis desirable when it is desirable to secure the storage locker 120immediately without requesting user confirmation. In one embodiment, thedoor position indicator 210 transmits information to the central controlunit that the door is closed as input to the central control unit 110 tochange the state of the locking portion 250 to locked. Some embodimentscan use a timer to change the state of the locking portion 250. In oneembodiment, the locking portion 250, after assuming the unlocked state,assumes the locked state after a predetermined amount of time haselapsed.

Each locking portion 250 can transmit status information to the centralcontrol unit 110. Status information can include whether the lockingportion 250 is locked or unlocked. Status information is obtained bysensors of the locking portion 250 and the door position indicator 210.In some embodiments, the processor and memory of the locking portion 250helps control the individual locking portion 250. For example, theprocessor can receive a command from the central control unit 110, andthe processor then transmits a different command to aspects of thelocking portion 250 so that the command from the central control unit110 is executed.

Some locking portions 250 can include additional hardware like timers,clocks, biometric sensors, and other hardware components that providetypes of input for the individual locking portion. For example, thelocking portion 250 can operate as a timer-based lock so that thelocking portion 250 unlocks a period of time after being locked, orlocks after a period of time after being unlocked. In some embodiments,the storage-locking portion 250 can implement a restriction on a changein its state for a period of time after the state is initially changed.

Portions of these hardware features can be implemented in the storagelocker 120 but nevertheless control the locking portion 250. Forexample, storage lockers 120 can also include processors and memoryavailable for the locking portion 250 to use when processing informationfor authentication.

Some embodiments can include locking portions that can be manuallyoverridden by authorized individuals. These types of manual actionoverrides are available even when the control unit 110 has notinstructed the locking portion 250 to be unlocked.

Storage Locker Modules

Some embodiments can arrange the storage lockers 120 in variousorientations that are not specifically described here. The storagelocker module 130 can include additional hardware needed to operate thesystem 100. For example, the storage locker module 130 can includeredundant power supplies to power the system 100 should the power levelsprovided by the normal power source is not adequate.

Each storage locker module 130 can include identical storage lockers 120or a variety of differently dimensioned storage lockers 120 to matchexpected package mixtures. FIG. 2 illustrates non-limiting examples ofthe storage modules 130 with a variety of storage lockers 120. Thestorage locker module 130 with the plurality of storage lockers 120 andthe hardware specific for the storage locker module 130 can be 8′ or 7′high. Other heights suitable for the installation location arecontemplated and not specifically enumerated here. The storage lockers120 can be interchangeable components that can be inserted and removedas needed. In other embodiments, the storage lockers 120 can be formedas part of the storage locker modules 130. In some installations, apackage management system 100 can comprise numerous locker modules allconnected to a single central control unit 110. In relatively largeinstallations, it can be appreciated that some of the lockers 120 insome remote modules 130 can be a long distance from the central controlunit 110.

Some of the hardware specific to the storage locker module 130 includesequipment to manually disengage all of the locking portions 250 for allof the storage lockers 120 in the storage locker module 130simultaneously and/or individually. Such equipment, when included, ispreferably placed behind a secured panel or door 135 so that access isonly given to authorized individuals such as property managers or lawenforcement. Such a secured door 135 also prevents tampering. Otherhardware specific to the storage locker module 130 can include power andcommunications aggregators to help reduce the number of connectionsbetween the storage lockers 120 and the central control unit 110. Eachstorage locker module 130 can be connected to at least one control unit110. In some embodiments, the central control unit 110 controls aspectsof the storage locker module 130 and receives information regarding thestorage locker module 130. For example, the central control unit 110 cancontrol the storage locker module 130 and unlock all of the storagelockers 120 simultaneously, and the central control unit 110 can receiveinformation regarding whether the secured panel or door 135 is open orhas been tampered with. Other types of control commands and informationare contemplated and not specifically enumerated here.

Each of the storage lockers 120 in the storage locker module 130continues to be independently controlled by the central control unit110, but can aggregate their communications with other storage lockers120 in the storage locker module 130 so that the number of connectionsto the central control unit 110 is reduced. Where necessary, eachstorage locker module 130 will include additional hardware to facilitatethis aggregation.

Central Control Unit

FIG. 4 illustrates the central control unit 110 and a non-limitingexample of the components in a central control unit 110. The centralcontrol unit 110 uses a variety of components to control each of thelocking portions 250 of the storage lockers 120. The central controlunit 110 can include storage lockers 120 in addition to the componentsdescribed here so that the number of storage lockers 120 employed in thesystem 100 is maximized. The central control unit 110 shown in FIGS. 1,3 and 4 does not include storage lockers 120.

The central control unit 110 in FIG. 4 includes a control module 400having input devices including at least a human input device 420 and acomputer readable code device 430, processors 610, memory 620, storage630, and a display device 440 connected to a display interface 640. Thedisplay device 440 can be a touchscreen and therefore operate as aninput device. The central control unit 110 may also include acommunications portion 650 for connecting to the Internet. The centralcontrol unit 110 further includes a storage locker connection portion,which connects the central control unit 110 to at least one storagelocker 120. In some embodiments, the connection from the central controlunit 110 to the storage locker 120 can be aggregated through the storagelocker module 130. Stated differently, the central control unit 110 canhave a single connection to the storage locker module 130 that connectsa plurality of storage lockers 120 to the central control unit 110 byway of the storage locker module 130. The different components of thecentral control unit 110 are connected to each other by way ofwell-known communications infrastructure 660. The central control unit110 provides power and commands to each storage locker 120 and can alsoreceive information from each storage locker 120.

The control module 400 of the central control unit 110 shown in FIG. 4includes a plurality of input devices 410, 420, 430 and can include, forexample, a still camera 410, an optical character reader (OCR) 465 abarcode reader 460, and a key fob or RFID reader 450. In one embodiment,the input devices include a first input device that will read theauthorization information of a service provider, authorize his use ofthe system and advise the controller to open the door to locker 125 toprovide the service provider access to the second input device. Thesecond input device is portable, and in one embodiment, a hand heldportable bar code reader that can read the package identifier 222 andthe locker identifier 260. The first input device may also be adapted toread the package identifier 222. Alternatively, the first and secondinput devices may be combined into one reader. For example, a portablebar code reader 460 may be mounted on the wall of the central controlunit in an initially locked condition. The input device, if a bar codereader 460 may initially scan a bar code of an authorized serviceprovider that would allow him to unlock the bar code reader 460 so itbecomes portable for further use in scanning package identifiers 222 andlocker identifiers 260 remote from the central control unit 110. In onealternative embodiment, the portable input device may also include ascreen of available residents or recipients and the service provider candesignate the proper recipient for the package from reading the addresson the package remote from the central control unit, at or near adesignated locker.

In another embodiment, the second input device is the input devicecarried by the delivery person. Preferably, when the central controlunit 110 authenticates the delivery person, his portable input devicewill communicate with the central control unit to identify the package,the recipient and the locker. This communication can be through closeproximity wireless communication, through the internet or other meansknown in the art.

Other embodiments of the central control unit 110 include biometricsensors, audio sensors, other RFID sensors, proximity sensors, Bluetoothproximity sensors, near-field communication sensors, OCR sensors, andother types of information collecting devices as input devices. Anynumber of input devices can be employed in a central control unit 110.The central control unit 110 uses these sensors in a variety of ways tocollect the desired information from a user, from packages, fromlockers, and from the environment and considers this information whenmaking decisions. Input from the door position sensor 212 provides thecentral control unit 110 information on the state of the door for eachlocker 120. For example, it can act as an authenticator to verify thestatus of a delivery person. In addition, the central control unit 110can use this information to control each of the locking portions 250 ofthe storage lockers 120 in the package management system 100. Thecentral control unit 110 can, in some embodiments, use aspects of theindividual storage lockers 120 when controlling each of the lockingportions 250. For example, the central control unit 110 can consider ifthe locking portion 250 or the door position indicator 210 is providingstatus information that indicates the locking portion 250 is unlocked orthe door is open before transmitting commands.

In some embodiments, the still camera 410 can be a video camera employedto monitor the activities near the package management system 100 evenwhen a user is not interacting with the system 100. Such a configurationis desirable so that security of the package management system 100 andsecurity of the packages contained within the system 100 is ensured.

The central control unit 110 executes locker control software andprovides a user interface on the display device 440 by controlling thedisplay interface 640. The display interface 640 can also function as aninput portion when the display device 440 is a touchscreen device. Forexample, the display device 440 or the input device 420 may include alist of eligible service providers and means to allow the deliveryperson to select the list. When referring to the central control unit110, aspects can be executed by hardware components purposely built forexecuting these aspects, and other aspects can be executed by softwarecomponents of the locker control software being executed on hardwarecomponents that perform multiple aspects. The user interface providesinformation to the user and requests input from the user through theinput devices. The central control unit 110 can also provide audile ortactile feedback in response to input. The central control unit 110 canalso provide an interface accommodating disabled individuals includingan audio interface and a tactile based interface.

Information collected by sensors of the individual storage lockers 120is transmitted to the central control unit 110 for consideration by thelocker control software. In some embodiments, the sensor information ispreprocessed by an aspect of the storage locker 120 so that statusinformation is transmitted to the central control unit 110. In someembodiments, other types of information can be considered by the centralcontrol unit 110 including information received from external sourcesover the Internet, and information received from authorized deviceswirelessly connected to the central control unit 110. As noted above,the central control unit 110 can, for example, wirelessly communicatewith a device in a user's possession for authentication. The centralcontrol unit 110 uses the different information from the sensors todetermine if an action is necessary. An action can include unlocking alocked storage locker 120, locking an unlocked storage locker 120,transmitting an notification, authenticating a user, responding to userinput, scanning a package, updating the status of a storage locker 120,and other tasks needed to respond to sensor inputs as desired.

An action can also include detecting when a period of time has elapsed.For example, the central control unit 110 can provide a notification,like an audible or visual alert, if the door 200 of a storage locker 120has been opened for a period that is greater than the predeterminedperiod of time. The central control unit 110 can also provide anotification when a user has not interacted with the central controlunit 110 for a period that is greater than a predetermined amount oftime. For example, an audible alert can be provided to a delivery personif they do not shut the same number of lockers that they have inputtedfor the number of packages to be delivered to an identified residentwithin a specified time period.

The central control unit 110 allows for commands from authorized usersto invoke actions remotely. For example, the central control unit 110can receive a command from a central server that all storage lockers 120controlled by the central control unit 110 are to be opened. In someembodiments, the central control unit 110 will authenticate the requestand then execute the command. Some embodiments can authenticate therequest and conditionally execute the command. For example, a propertymanagement representative can request storage lockers 120 that have beenstored for more than two weeks to be unlocked. The central control unit110 determines which lockers satisfy the criteria and only executes thecommands for these storage lockers 120. The central control unit 110 canreceive configuration information from authorized users using the inputdevices or from authorized users over the Internet. Such configurationinformation can come from a property management interface or a residentinterface, to be described later.

The central control unit 110 can include a storage portion 630 thatstores the locker control software and other information needed foroperating the package management system 100. The storage portion 630stores sufficient information so that when the package management system100 loses a connection to a central server 700 over the Internet, thepackage management system 100 will continue to operate until theconnection is restored. If changes to the information in the storageportion 630 occur, these changes are queued for synchronizing with thecentral server 700 when a connection to the central server 700 isavailable. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the storageportion 630 can be allocated for storing resident and packageinformation. Some embodiments can also allocate a portion of the storageportion 630 for system usage information and other login informationthat can be transmitted to the central server 700 when the connection isavailable. Other types of information can be stored on the storageportion 630 of the package management system 100 to facilitate operationof the system 100 such as valid authentication information, even when aconnection to the Internet and the central server 700 is not available.

The resident information stored in the storage portion 630 can be usedto match a package being delivered to a particular resident. Theresident information stored in the storage portion 630 can also be usedto authenticate a user so that at least one storage locker 120containing the corresponding packages is unlocked so that the user canretrieve the packages. For example, when a service provider arrives todeposit a package, the service provider will match the package to aresident. In one embodiment, the service provider can scan packageinformation to match the package and the package identifier 222, throughthe central control system 110 and central server 700, associates thepackage to a resident. Further, when a resident arrives, the residentcan present information for authentication, such as an unlock code,through an input device such as the first input device. The residentinformation stored in the storage portion 630 is then used to determineif the information for authentication constitutes valid authenticationinformation.

The central control unit 110 uses industry standard techniques toconnect to the Internet. The central control unit 110 can use eitherwired or wireless networking technologies to establish the connection tothe Internet. The central control unit 110 can operate by being directlyconnected to the Internet or by being connected to the Internet by wayof a firewall.

The central control portion 110 includes an authenticator orauthentication portion 670 for identifying and verifying the status ofvalid users who present valid authentication information. Theauthenticator or authentication portion 670 compares informationcollected by the sensors with information from the storage portion 630to determine whether a particular user is a valid user. Theauthentication portion 670 is configured to use information contained inthe package management system 100 so that external resources availableover the Internet are not necessary to operate. The authenticationportion 670 can, however, augment its decisions using externalresources, when available. The authentication portion 670 can identifyresidents, authorized service providers, and property managementrepresentatives, among others. The authentication portion 670 can recordinformation enumerating the number of login attempts that have succeededor failed. The authentication portion 670 can cause sensors of the inputdevices to collect additional information. For example, theauthentication portion 670 can cause a digital still camera 410 torecord an image to capture the appearance of the individual attemptingto authenticate. The authentication portion 670 can use other types ofsensors to record the attempt by the individual to authenticate with thecentral control unit 110.

Some embodiments of the package management system 100 allow authorizedindividuals to act on behalf of other individuals. For example, anauthorized property management representative can authenticate with thepackage management system 100 and retrieve a package on behalf of aresident or tenant when the resident or tenant is unable to retrieve thepackage himself or herself.

The authentication portion 670 can employ countermeasures to protectagainst unauthorized authentication attempts. For example, theauthentication portion can incorporate a delay or limit the number ofauthentication attempts within a period of time. The authenticationportion 670 can disable additional attempts to authenticate after apredetermined number of failed authentication attempts. Othercountermeasures are known in the art and can be employed but are notspecifically enumerated here. The authentication portion can considercertain types of information for authentication such as package specificidentifiers, residence specific identifiers, and user-specificidentifiers. Package specific identifiers are generated in response tothe delivery of a package. Resident specific identifiers are configuredby either the property management or an authorized resident so thatindividuals residing in the residence can access packages delivered tothe residence. User-specific identifiers are defined by each individualuser and are associated with the individual. In some embodiments, theuser-specific identifier is a fixed length series of numbers that isdefined by the individual. In other embodiments, the user specificidentifier is a biometric identifier that is defined by the individual.In some embodiments, the user-specific identifier is a combination ofidentifiers. For example, the user specific identifier can require boththe user-specified identifier and the biometric identifier.

Some embodiments of the central control unit 110 include a notificationportion 680 for transmitting notifications and unlock codes to users.The notification portion 680 can use the connection 651 to the Internetwhen the type of notification transmitted is facilitated by using theInternet. The notification portion 680 can use other communicationsnetworks to transmit the notification. For example, the notificationportion 680 can rely on a cellular network connection to transmit an SMSmessage to the user. The notification portion 680 can rely on othercommunications techniques using other communications networks such asWireless Ethernet, ZigBee™, Bluetooth, and similar networks configuredfor a specific device or application. For example, the central controlunit 110 can detect a particular smartphone within proximity of thenotification portion 680, and then use the notification portion 680 totransmit to a smartphone when the smartphone is within range of thenotification portion 680 to remind the user of the smartphone that apackage is available. The notification portion 680 can either directlytransmit the notification to the smartphone using a communicationsnetwork, or the notification portion 680 can use the connection to theInternet to transmit a notification to the smartphone.

In some embodiments, the central control unit 110 can respond incustomized manners to particular users. For example after a usersuccessfully authenticates with the central control unit 110, the lockercontrol software can determine, by using the resident information storedin the storage portion 630, that the user requires specificaccommodations. In one instance, the user can be identified as beingvisually disabled and so the locker control software presents a tactileor audible interface so that the user can interact with the packagemanagement system 100. In another instance, the user can be identifiedas requiring a storage locker 120 that is not higher than a particularheight so that the user can easily access the stored packages. Someembodiments can also allow for users to specify particular preferencesregarding their preferred interactions with the package managementsystem 100. These particular preferences can be optionally required inorder to allow for customization regarding the manner in which thepackage management system 100 accommodates deposits, depending onavailability. A user can, for example, specify that the graphicalinterface use a larger or smaller font so that slight visual impairmentscan be accommodated. The user can also specify that he or she prefers astorage locker 120 that is of a certain height for ease of access. Inthese situations, the central control unit 110 will accommodate theuser's preferences, when possible. These preferences can, however, bedisregarded by the central control unit 110 when the availability of theaccommodation for the user's preference is not feasible.

Some embodiments of the central control unit 110 can also track theamount of time a package is stored in a storage locker 120. This isparticularly applicable in situations where the package managementsystem 100 is used in a location where the storage lockers 120 areprovided as part of a service. For example, in a co-working environment,the property owner can charge tenants for the period of time a packageis stored in the storage locker 120. The amount of time a package isstored in a storage locker 120 can also be used to determine if thepackage has time expired. This occurs when a package has been stored inthe storage locker 120 for a period of time that exceeds a predeterminedperiod of time set by the property owner. The property owner can thenremove the time expired package from the package management system sothat the storage locker 120 is again available for others to use.

Central Server

As outlined in FIG. 5, a central server 700 is provided to manageresident information for at least one package management system 100. Insome embodiments, a central server 700 can manage multiple packagemanagement systems 100 located in multiple unrelated locations. Thecentral server 700 manages resident information received from theproperty management companies 710. The central server 700 providesaccess for property management representatives and residents through aproperty management interface and a resident interface. These interfacescan be provided as a Web interface or can be provided as an applicationprogramming interface (API) against which applications can be programmedto interact with the central server's property management interface andresident interface. The property management interface allows anauthenticated property management representative to manipulate residentdata. The resident interface allows an authenticated resident toindividually manage their resident information through a residentinterface.

The central server 700 maintains the master list of resident informationfor each package management system 100. The central server 700 receivesresident information from property management companies 710 includingmove-ins and move-outs by residents. In some embodiments, residentinformation from property management companies 710 is periodicallyretrieved from property management companies 710 by the central server700. In other embodiments, resident information from property managementcompanies 710 is periodically transmitted to the central server 700. Instill further embodiments, changes in resident information aretransmitted as they occur from property management companies 710. Thecentral server 700 can use a combination of these and other techniquesto obtain information from a plurality of property management companies710. Updates to the resident information are queued and transmitted toindividual package management systems 100 when the next connection isestablished.

In some instances, changes to resident information can be received fromindividual package management systems 100. For example, if a residentmodifies their information at the package management system 100 by, forexample, changing their authentication information, the packagemanagement system 100 transmits the modification to the central server700 the next time the package management system 100 establishes contactwith the central server 700. Changes from the individual packagemanagement systems 100 are reconciled with the resident information ofthe central server 700 after the package management systems 100 havetransmitted any modifications to the central server 700.

Property Management Interface

The property management interface provides authorized users, includingproperty management representatives, a method for interacting with theresident information stored in the central server 700. The propertymanagement interface can be implemented on the central control unit 110or on the central server 700 that is connected to a package managementsystem 100. When implemented on the central control unit 110, theproperty management interface can interact with the resident informationstored on the central control unit 110. Later, when the central controlunit 110 synchronizes data with the central server 700, any changes canbe transmitted to the central server 700. When implemented on thecentral server 700, the property management interface interacts with theresident information of the central server 700. Changes in the residentinformation of the central server 700 are later transmitted to theappropriate package management system 100. The property managementinterface, when implemented on a central server 700, can also allowauthorized users to remotely control the package management system 100.

A user that accesses the property management interface can be requiredto provide authentication information so that the user can be identifiedas a property management representative. For example, a propertymanagement representative can modify certain types of data in thecentral server 700 or in the central control unit 110. In someembodiments, different property management representatives can havedifferent levels of access so that certain modifications of residentinformation are only available to certain individuals.

In some embodiments, the property management representative canmanipulate the data for the units of a property and add, delete, ormodify address information, unit information, and other identifyinginformation for the units of the property. For each unit, the propertymanagement representative can also edit the residents associated withthe unit. For instance, the property management representative can add adependent such as a resident's spouse to a unit so that the spouse canalso access packages that are delivered to the unit, change the name ofa resident, change which unit residents are associated with, enable ordisable a resident's access to the package management system 100, changethe registration status of a resident, or delete a resident from a unit.The property management representative can also associate certainidentifying information with a resident. For example, the propertymanagement representative can associate a key fob or an RFID tag withthe resident so that the resident can access packages by using a key fobor an RFID tag, in conjunction with their user-specific identifier. Theproperty management representative can also modify other aspects of aresident's information including resetting a resident's user-specificidentifier and changing an indicator that determines whether theresident requires an accessible locker. Other types of residentinformation may be modified by the property management representativeand are not specifically enumerated here.

Some embodiments allow authorized property management representatives toquery the central server 700 for reports on the residents, the billingof residents, and the usage of the package management system 100 at aproperty. In some embodiments, authorized property managementrepresentatives can query the central server 700 for these types ofreports across a single property or multiple properties that are managedby the authorized property management representative. The reports can begenerated in a variety of standard formats including comma separatedvalues or tab-delimited values so that the information can be furtherprocessed. The reports can also be retrieved in a variety of standarddocument types including Excel spreadsheets, Word documents, or PortableDocument Formats, among others.

Resident reports can include reports identifying unregistered residents,registered active residents, deactivated residents, and resident usernames, among others. Billing reports can include the registration fees,storage fees, and other associated fees arising from the residents'usage of the package management system 100. Usage reports can includereports identifying the availability of storage lockers 120 in thepackage management system 100, the packages currently being stored inthe package management system 100, errors or faults in the packagemanagement system 100, the activities of the storage lockers 120 of thepackage management system 100, and any overrides of the storage lockers120 in the package management system 100.

Property management representatives can also modify information that isnot specific to a particular resident or unit. For example, propertymanagement representatives can modify information associated with ashipping carrier including, for example, the identifier associated withthe shipping carrier that authenticates the shipping carrier andauthorizes the shipping carrier to deposit packages in the packagemanagement system 100. Package management representatives can also addadditional carriers, or delete or disable previously entered carriers.

Resident Interface

The resident interface provides authorized users, including residentsand dependents, an interface for interacting with some aspects of theresident's information. Like the property management interface, theresident interface can be implemented on the central control unit 110 oron the central server 700 that is connected to a package managementsystem 100. When implemented on the central control unit 110, theresident interface can interact with the resident information stored onthe central control unit 110. Later, when the central control unit 110synchronizes data with the central server 700, any changes can betransmitted to the central server 700. When implemented on the centralserver 700, the resident interface interacts with the residentinformation of the central server 700. Changes in the residentinformation of the central server 700 are later transmitted to theappropriate package management system 100. The property managementinterface, when implemented on a central server 700, can also allowauthorized users to remotely interact with the package management system100.

The resident interface can be implemented in both locations to allow forthe offline modification of resident information even when a connectionto the central server 700 is not available or not convenient.

A user that accesses the resident interface can then be required toprovide authentication information so that the user can be authenticatedand identified by the resident interface. A user can, for example,provide a user name and a user-specified identifier to the residentinterface for authentication. Once authenticated, the resident maymodify the resident's information including the resident's preferrednotification method, the resident's user-specified identifier, andwhether the resident requires specific accommodations. In someembodiments, the resident can be optionally be required to acceptcertain terms and conditions in order for a specific method ofnotification to be activated.

In some embodiments, a resident can provide information to execute areset of the user specific identifier. When reset, the central server700 will send a notification to the resident that provides a temporaryuser specific identifier for an initial login. The resident will thenauthenticate using this temporary user specific identifier and then seta new user-specified identifier.

Usage of the Package Management System

Operation of one embodiment of the package management system 100 is nowpresented. A general overview of the process is depicted in FIG. 6, withdetailed steps for the shipping carrier, for the notification of theresident, and for the retrieval of the package in FIG. 7. A residentorders a package (S10) to be delivered to their residence. A shippingcarrier delivers the package to the locker (S20).

When a service provider arrives at the package management system 100,the service provider authenticates with the central control unit 110(S21). The service provider can present a badge, FOB, card with a barcode, RFID, or other identifier for the input devices (420, 430, 450)generally referred to as first input device to scan. The central controlunit 110 considers the identifier presented by the service provider andthe authentication portion 670 decides if the identifier is validauthentication information for a service provider. In one embodiment,the authentication portion also communicates to the controller to openlocker 125 so the service provider has access to the second inputdevice, or portable hand held scanner. Alternatively, a single inputdevice, such as a portable bar code scanner may be lockably mounted onthe wall of the central control unit. The service prover presents a barcode or other authorization to the input device to obtain authorizationand unlock the input device from its mount and begin the process. In yetanother embodiment, once authenticated, the delivery person's handheldscanner can be used as the second input device. The authenticationportion 670 can also cause the still camera 410 and other sensors tocapture characteristics of the individual who attempted to authenticateas a service provider.

Once the delivery person or service provider is authenticated, the firstinput device can provide a screen to allow the service provider toindicate how many lockers 120 he wishes to have opened in order todeliver the packages to the residents associated with the system S22.The first input device can also allow the service provider to designatethe number of lockers 120 of each size to accommodate the packages to bedelivered. In one embodiment, the number of designated lockers shouldequal the number of packages to be delivered to the system. In anotherembodiment, where there is human readable information on the packageidentifier, and the delivery person realizes that a recipient willreceive more than one package, the delivery person can designate fewerlockers, so long as there are enough lockers designated so that there isat least one locker for each recipient, and the lockers are ofsufficient size to accommodate the packages for each recipient. Thecontroller 400 then opens the designated number of each size of lockerS23. At this point, the second input device has been activated, and thedelivery person no longer needs to be in close proximity to the centralcontrol unit, but can grasp the portable second input device, or inother embodiments use his own input device, and travel to one of thedesignated lockers to deliver a first package. Alternatively, the secondor portable input device may also include a human input portion thatallows the delivery person to input the number and sizes of lockerswhile he is remote from the central control unit 110.

The delivery person preferably uses the second or portable input deviceto scan the package identifier 222 for the first package that he has fordelivery to the system S24. He also scans locker identifier 260 for adesignated locker into which the package would fit S25 and places thescanned package into the scanned locker SS26.

At this point, as noted above, if the package identifier has humanreadable information and the service provider realizes that a recipientwill be receiving more than one package in this delivery cycle, he canscan a second package addressed to the recipient and place it in thesame scanned locker S27. A plurality of packages can be placed in thescanned locker if the service provider is aware they are all addressedto the same recipient. In one embodiment, the service provider must scanthe locker identifier after or before the insertion of a package into alocker. Alternatively, once the locker has been initially identified bythe service provider, the central control unit 110 or central server 700will assume that all subsequent identified packages are placed in theidentified locker until that locker door is closed. In any event, whenthe service provider desires to deposit no more packages into thescanned locker, he closes the door S28.

In one embodiment, as outlined in FIG. 8, the delivery person does notneed to scan the locker identifier. Once the delivery person isauthorized by the system, S81 and he designates how many lockers areneeded to be opened for the amount of packages and recipients, S82, thesystem opens the designated lockers S83. At some point, the second inputdevice is activated. The service provider or delivery person then scansthe first package S84 to be delivered to a recipient and places it inthe locker S86. If the recipient is receiving more than one package, thedelivery person can scan the second package and place it in the samelocker S87. This can be repeated for that designated recipient until thelocker is full or there are no further packages for that recipient, atwhich time, the delivery person closes the door to that locker S28. Thecentral control unit 110 or central server 700 will assume that allidentified packages are in the locker for which the door is subsequentlyclosed and will associate those packages with the locker and therecipient. If a second recipient is receiving packages, the deliveryperson moves to a second open locker and scans and then places thepackage or packages addressed to the second recipient in the secondlocker and closes the door to the second locker. Again, the centralcontrol unit 110 or central server 700 assumes all packages scannedsubsequent to the closing of the first door and prior to closing of thesecond door to be in the second locker and associates those packages,with the second locker and the second recipient. Since the scanning alsoprovides the central control unit 110 or central server 700 with theidentity of the recipient, it can also confirm that all packages in eachlocker are addressed to the same recipient. If not, an error message canbe sent to the delivery person.

Alternatively, if the service provider is unsure as to who the secondpackage is to be delivered, he can scan the package and scan a secondlocker, place the second package in the second locker and close the doorto the second scanned locker. In like manner, he will scan all of thepackages to be delivered along with corresponding designated scannedlockers and close all locker doors. It can be appreciated that thedelivery person can deliver a plurality of packages without having toaccess the central control unit after designating the number of lockers.Only after delivering all of the packages for recipients in the system,the service provider returns to the central control unit, places thehand held scanner to the locker 125 and closes its door, or if he isusing his personal scanner, holsters the scanner. In either event, helogs out of the system. The central control unit may also comprise anaudible or visual warning to ensure that the second or portable inputdevice is returned to the locker or mount before allowing the serviceprovider to log out.

As described earlier, the system then transmits notification to therecipient of the existence of a package in a locker in the system alongwith an unlock code S31. In a preferred embodiment, the system onlynotifies the recipient of the existence of the package when the serviceprovider has closed all of the lockers that he requested to be opened.Accordingly, if the recipient received more than one package in thisdelivery cycle, the recipient only receives one notification.Optionally, this notification can advise the recipient of how manypackages are available for pick up.

Later the recipient presents an unlock code to the system S41. Uponvalidation of the unlock code, the system causes the appropriate lockeror lockers with the recipients package or packages to be opened topermit removal of the package or packages S42. When the recipient closesthe locker door, the central control unit 110 assumes the locker isempty and available for use by the next delivery person.

It can be appreciated that this system provides an efficient way for theservice provider to deliver many packages to multiple recipientsassigned to one system, as the service provider does not need to travelfrom an open locker to the central control unit 110 for each packagesent to a particular recipient, but instead can deposit a plurality ofpackages at one time to a locker or lockers that are remote from thecentral control unit but, in the case of two or more lockers, near eachother, thus saving him time and steps. The service provider can thenclose each of the doors, or the central control unit can close thedoors, which causes the locking portion 250 of each locker 120 to latchand the central control unit is advised of the change of state of thelocking portion 250 either by the locking portion or by the change instate of the door position indicator 210.

The central control unit 110 determines which residents have receivedpackages and the number of packages received by each resident, andprepares a series of notifications for transmission by the notificationportion 680 to the resident that includes the number of packagesreceived by the resident, see FIG. 9. The central control unit 110retrieves the appropriate resident information (S32, S33). If noresident information is available, a default set of notifications can beused (S34). The notification portion 680 then transmits the specifiednotifications to the resident so that the resident is informed that apackage or packages have been received (S31). An additional notificationcan be transmitted to, for example, the property manager, so that theproperty manager can also be aware that a package or packages have beendeposited. The additional notification can optionally include the sameinformation as transmitted to the resident in order to provide privacyfor the resident.

A resident arrives at the package management system 100 and presentsidentification information. For example, the resident can scan anidentifier such as a barcode or a key fob, or the resident can use aphysical keypad or a touchscreen keypad to enter an identifier (S41). Ifthe identifier corresponds to a resident, the central control unit 110then presents an inquiry for the resident to enter further informationto authenticate (S42). In some embodiments, the inquiry requests theresident enter a user-specified identifier to authenticate. In otherembodiments, the inquiry requests the resident provide other informationavailable to the actual resident to authenticate. If the individualauthenticates, the central control unit 110 displays a messageindicating the appropriate storage lockers 120 have been unlocked (S42).The central control unit 110 also unlocks the locking portions 250 ofthe appropriate storage lockers 120. In some embodiments, the centralcontrol unit 110 can present a screen on the display 440 prompting theuser to initiate the unlocking of the locking portions 250. Someembodiments can also allow the resident to configure a preference as towhether the storage lockers 120 are automatically unlocked afterauthentication or if the storage lockers 120 are unlocked aftersubsequent input after authentication.

Once the resident has removed the packages, the resident indicates thatthe process is complete and the user is logged out. The central controlunit 110 then returns to a state awaiting further input from anindividual.

Modifications

Although the above described package management system has beendescribed, modifications to the system are contemplated by thisdisclosure. In some embodiments, a nearfield communications device,Bluetooth device, or other wireless device can be used in order toidentify a particular user instead of an RFID tag or a key fob.

Various embodiments disclosed herein are to be taken in the illustrativeand explanatory sense, and should in no way be construed as limiting ofthe present disclosure. While aspects of the present disclosure havebeen particularly shown and described with reference to the embodimentsabove, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variousadditional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of thedisclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from thespirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should beunderstood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure asdetermined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for delivering packages in a location with multiple recipients by a delivery person, with each package having a package identifier that includes recipient information, comprising, a plurality of lockers, each locker having an interior space and a door that when opened allows access to the interior space and a locker identifier, a locking portion associated with each door for allowing the door to open when in the unlocked state and remain closed when in the locked state, a central control unit comprising an authentication portion adapted to verify the status of the delivery person, a first input device configured to allow the delivery person to designate the number of lockers to be opened, a second input device adapted to read the package identifier and a locker identifier, a controller configured to deactivate the locking portions on the designated lockers, wherein upon authentication of the delivery person and identification of the number of designated lockers by the delivery person, the controller deactivates the number of locking portions equal to the number of designated lockers, and wherein, at a location remote from the central control unit, the second input device reads the package identifier of a package and a locker identifier for a designated locker and transmits the package and locker information to the central control unit, and the delivery person places the read package in the interior space of the read locker and closes the associated.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of lockers comprises lockers of at least two different sizes and wherein the first input device allows the delivery person to also designate the size of lockers to open.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the second input device is a portable hand held bar code or RFID scanner.
 4. The system of claim 3 wherein the second input device is the delivery person's portable hand held bar code or RFID scanner.
 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the central control unit also comprises an output device adapted to provide notification to a recipient of the delivery of a package.
 6. The system of claim 5 wherein the central control unit notifies the resident of the number of packages received for that resident and provides an authentication to the resident to subsequently communicate to the controller to deactivate the correct number of locking portions in order to retrieve the packages.
 7. The system of claim 6 wherein two or more read packages are placed in one read locker.
 8. The system of claim 6 wherein the controller also comprises a recipient identification device that allows the recipient to retrieve the package when activated.
 9. The system of claim 6 wherein the first input device and the second input device comprise the same input device.
 10. A system for delivering packages in a location with multiple recipients by a delivery person, with each package having a package identifier that includes recipient information, comprising, a plurality of lockers, each locker having an interior space and a door that when opened allows access to the interior space, a locking portion associated with each door for allowing the door to open when in the unlocked state and remain closed when in the locked state and adapted to receive instruction from the central control unit to change from the locked state to the unlocked state and send information to the central control unit when the door is manually closed and the lock is changed to the locked state, a central control unit comprising an authentication portion adapted to verify the status of the delivery person, a first input device configured to allow the delivery person to designate the number of lockers to be opened, a second input device adapted to read the package identifier, a controller configured to deactivate the locking portions on the designated lockers, and an output device to provide notification to a recipient, wherein upon authentication of the delivery person and identification of the number of designated lockers by the delivery person, the controller deactivates the number of locking portions equal to the number of designated lockers, and wherein, the delivery person reads the package and places the read package in the interior space of one designated locker and closes the associated door, and wherein the central control unit associates the package, locker and recipient and the output device notifies the recipient of the delivery of a package.
 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the second input device is a portable hand held bar code or RFID scanner.
 12. The system of claim 11 wherein the second input device is the delivery person's portable hand held bar code scanner.
 13. The system of claim 10 wherein the plurality of lockers comprises lockers of at least two different sizes and wherein the first input device allows the delivery person to also designate the size of lockers to open.
 14. The system of claim 10 wherein two or more read packages are placed in one designated locker and the central control unit associates the two or more read packages placed in one locker with the locker and the recipient.
 15. A system for delivering packages in a location with multiple recipients by a delivery person, with each package having a package identifier that includes recipient information, comprising, a plurality of lockers, each locker having an interior space and a door that when opened allows access to the interior space, a locking portion associated with each door for allowing the door to open when deactivated and remain locked when the lock is activated by the door being manually closed, a central control unit comprising a data base of recipients, an authentication portion adapted to verify the status of the delivery person, a first input device configured to allow the delivery person to designate the number of lockers to be opened, a second input device adapted to read the package identifier, a controller configured to deactivate the locking portions on the designated lockers and store information of when a locker door is closed and the lock is activated, and an output device to provide notification to a recipient, wherein upon authentication of the delivery person and identification of the number of designated lockers by the delivery person, the controller deactivates the number of locking portions equal to the number of designated lockers, and wherein, the second input device reads the package identifier of a package, and the delivery person places the read package in the interior space of the locker and closes the associated door thus activating the lock, and wherein the controller advises the central control unit that the door is closed, and the central control unit associates the package for the recipient and the designated locker, and wherein the output device notifies the recipient of the delivery of a package.
 16. The system of claim 15 wherein the delivery person has two or more packages addressed to the same recipient, and while the door is open to the designated locker, the delivery person also scans and places the second or more packages in the locker before shutting the door, and the central control unit associates the second or more packages to the same recipient with the locker.
 17. The system of claim 16 wherein the output device notifies the recipient that multiple packages have been delivered.
 18. The system of claim 15 wherein the first and second input devices are the same device. 